A Devil's Deal
by ThreeInOne
Summary: "I have been a fool. Made mistakes. Monumental ones. But I know my place in the universe now. I know who I am. I'm Starscream. Not an Autobot, not a Decepticon. A Cybertronian. A Seeker, a scientist. Servant to no one." My AU account of the end of "Partners". Contains character death, violence, cursing, and Starcee. Don't like, don't read.


**((Hello everyone. I thought, since I'm still working on my 'Red and Blue KickAft' story I'd make this a one-shot. I managed to catch up ****on the season one episode "Partners" today and I must say, I'm very disappointed. They didn't even give Starscream a chance to be ****an Autobot! I mean, if Skyfire could turn to the side of the angels, why not Starscream? And this continuity's Starscream is my favorite, ****so I thought I'd make a little 'what-if?' one-shot about it. It's got major Starcee since I really think they could've hit it off, minus the ****whole 'OMP you killed Cliffjumper!' thing. It takes place in the middle, if not near the end, of Partn****ers, where Arcee is about to kill Starscream and then 'Bee comes up and stops her. Yeah, but in this, Airachnid really did freeze him. Enjoy.))**

Arcee's body was tense, tight. Every keen instinct was on edge, a blade pressed to the throat of the mech beneath her, her blue optics searching his pleading red ones. Fear flitted through them, along with regret. She could feel Energon dripping from where Starscream had cut her. The physical pain was in no way comparable to the mental pain, the anguish her spark was feeling.

He was right here, slaggit, pinned down. Helpless to do so much as twitch. As beg her silently, without words, to spare his meaningless life. He'd changed, he'd said. Made mistakes that he wanted to correct. And yet that didn't stop him from attacking her, slicing at her with vigor. Taunting her about Cliffjumper, how he'd killed him, taken another partner from her. It was a fact Airachnid didn't hesitate to bring up that she couldn't have saved Tailgate, or Cliffjumper for that matter. But now one of the guilty was here. Under her mercy. Optimus's words of wisdom were drowned out by the bloodlust in her own mind.

"Well?" Starscream hissed, anxious and irritated from the pain. "If you're going to kill me, do it. Avenge your fallen partner. I don't care anymore."

"What makes you say that?"

"What do I have to live for?" his question was burning. "You have the other Autobots, that wretched human-" he flinched at his wording when Arcee pushed the blade closer- "hehe, no offense. You've got revenge keeping you going, the thought of spilling the Energon of those who've wronged you. And your faction, your friends. Megatron has all but abandoned me, Airachnid betrayed me. The only thing that would keep me going now would be for survival and at what end? What's the purpose of going on, if you've nothing else to lose?" He squeezed his optics shut. "Make it hurt. It's what you want after all."

Arcee eyed him coldly. She raised her blade...and stabbed it into the dirt next to his neck.

"It's not right," she shook her head. "Not worth it. Optimus expects better of me."

"Yes, you wouldn't want to disappoint your _precious _leader, now would you?" Starscream grunted from pain as he stood up. "It was pretty foolish of them to take on Airachnid, even with their numbers. You don't corner a spider without getting bit. And what fun she must be having with her new toy."

Arcee looked at him. "What new toy?"

"You mean you honestly don't know?" Starscream was humoring her now. "Airachnid was sent to the _Harbinger_'s remains to collect an ancient Decepticon weapon. No doubt she's already found it and is using it on your friends."

"You'd better be lying," Gripping her side, Arcee started the way Optimus and the others had gone, stumbling all the way. Starscream, behind her, hesitated, his bound wings twitching.

"Wait!" he ran after her. "Stop."

"What?" Arcee looked at him, her expression full of loathing and pain.

"I have a bone to pick with Airachnid too," Starscream replied. "I still have to get back at her for abandoning me, after all. If you're going, I'm coming."

"Not a chance," Arcee shook her head and grimaced.

Starscream's expression was a mixture of pity and incredulity. "In your condition you wouldn't even be half of a challenge for her."

"Let's not forget that my 'condition' was caused by you," Arcee spat back. "So unless you're willing to help give me one good reason I should trust you."

"We both have a common enemy in Airachnid," he replied smugly. "I will be your ally until she has been ground into dust and your friends are safe. Then you can all go rust. Do we have a deal?" he stuck out a hand.

Arcee stared at it. This was practically a-what had Jack called it?-deal with the devil. Starscream had already tried to sabotage Megatron's recovery and killed Cliffjumper. Could she trust him not to stab her in the back?

Then again, what choice did she have? She took his hand.

"Very well. I'll accept your deal. What's your plan?"

Starscream looked at her. "Do you think I have a plan? I'm, pardon the pun, winging it."

Arcee didn't look fazed. "Okay then. Here's the plan: you draw her attention, I take her out from behind."

"What?" Starscream gasped. He stumbled to catch up with the still moving Arcee. "Why me?"

"You're the one who wanted to make a deal," Arcee pointed out. "Unless you'd like me to dump your sorry aft."

"No, no, not in the slightest," Starscream grumbled. "I'm quite enjoying your company. That's a charming personality you've got there."

The two steathily approached the other half of the _Harbinger_, where three frozen Autobots stood. Airachnid was stalking around each, her hand brushing Bumblebee's cheek as she said something to him. Then she moved to Optimus.

"The Immobilizer," Starscream said grimly. "Designed to freeze a Cybertronian in it's tracks. Quite the accomplishment. I suggest we disable it and the Autobot should return to their former state."

Arcee gaped at him. "Where'd you learn that?"

"I wasn't always a Decepticon, remember?" he sniffed. "Take out the Immobilizer and we have our trump card in your friends' capable hands." The sarcasm was evident. "I'll keep her distracted, like you said."

"Good," That was when Starscream slid down the rocky terrain, shooting a missile at Airachnid. The spider femme sensed it coming and ducked, only for it to sail over her head.

"Look who finally escaped the Autobots," Airachnid purred. "Do you honestly think you can take me on alone, 'Screamer?"

Starscream ran at her and she leaped off of Prime, swinging her spider legs in quickened succession. He dodged three strikes and slashed his talons diagonally across her chest.

"_Don't _call me Screamer," he snapped. Airachnid gritted her dentas; the Seeker was more resilient than he appeared. He'd already gotten into a scrape by his looks. She hit him over the head hard with one leg, sending him reeling, before she pinned one leg to the ground with a web. He cut it loose and slid aside, fast enough to dodge her bladed arm whizzing down at him. It struck the earth and he rolled, another missile fired. It actually hit it's target, the explosion knocking Airachnid back roughly, though she stayed up. Shaking her head, she caught Starscream's fist and hit him in the faceplate, uppercutting him so hard he flew back against a rock, one wing denting on impact.

"Don't make this too easy, 'Scream," she came toward him. "I want your death to last. For you to suffer."

"You took the words out of my mouth, Airachnid," he kicked out, managing to twist one of her spider legs. She dropped back to her normal two and used the others to slash at him. Starscream took a cut across the faceplate and chest, pried two away from him, and tackled Airachnid to the ground. Their fight became an all-out frenzy on the ground, Airachnid slamming Starscream's helm against the ground before he cut at her servo.

While all this was happening, Arcee went around, unnoticed, going for the Immobilizer. A bundle of webbing stopped her in her tracks, pinning her to a nearby rock. Her arms were bound and it was impossible to turn her head.

"Pathetic," Airachnid walked over to her slowly, biding her time. Starscream was held in her clutches by his throat, limp, bleeding. She cast him only the slightest of glances before tossing him to the ground. He weakly wiped Energon off of his mouth. "I hate being bored, Arcee, and you've made it all too easy. I should freeze you like your friends and bring you back to Lord Megatron. But," she scraped her claws across Arcee's faceplate, echoing a scene all too familiar from the past, "I'm sure he won't mind if I finish you off here, once and for all."

Arcee set her jaw firmly. "Do it," she spat. "Kill me right now. Optimus and the others will be after you if you do and there'll be Pit to pay."

Airachnid laughed. "The Autobots will come after me. These Autobots?" she gestured. "Those frozen paperweights that will adorn the warship so nicely? It's not healthy to harbor false hopes. You, and all Autobots, are doomed. What, do you expect Starscream to save you?"

"Why not?" Arcee's gaze flittered behind the spider femme. "He's been pretty reliable so far."

"Him?" she was trying to hold in laugher. "He's pathetic. A washed up has been. What could he possibly do that could help you?"

Arcee smirked. "Guess we switched jobs."

Airachnid didn't get the reference but her optics widened. She turned to see that the Seeker had taken the Immobilizer. He held it up, optics narrowed coldly.

"Looking for this?" Then he blasted it into smithereens.

"No!" Airachnid, growling, started to lunge at him. "You'll pay for that, you little-" Then a thought occured to her. "But first, I do believe I promised Arcee here her death. Who am I to disappoint?"

Arcee still couldn't move, was too weak to do much of anything. She could only watch as Airachnid drew out a blade, struck by irony at the scene. Only minutes ago she'd been the one about to offline Starscream. And now the roles were reversed.

But one bot wasn't going to take it lying down. Starscream moved with a liquid speed. Before either femme could realize it, he'd thrown himself into the fray.

And was now standing there, his faceplate the perfect picture of surprise, Airachnid's blade sticking out of his chest.

"What?" Airachnid shrieked. "Get away you stupid-"

Starscream sneered at her. "I'll be sure to put your demise in the most flattering light when I tell Lord Megatron," his talons slashed down behind him, neatly severing the webbing pinning Arcee, before he fell off of Airachnid's blade.

Arcee lunged, knocking Airachnid back before she could react. "This is for Tailgate!" she managed before her blade was buried in Airachnid's neck cables. The spider femme shuddered and Arcee pulled, slicing, severing, until Airachnid's head lay there. The dim optics stared up at her and she coldly stood as best she could. Yet the burning in her spark hadn't diminished at all.

"Nice work," a painful gasp alerted her to problems. She crouched over Starscream, who was holding his chest.

"You're injured," she honed in on it. "Let me see."

"It's just a flesh wound," Starscream bluffed.

"Let me see," Arcee wrenched his hand away. The Energon blossoming up only reminded her more of Tailgate. "I need to get you medical attention."

"I-I thought you hated me," he smiled weakly. "I killed Cliffjumper after all."

"I know," she stated grimly, going to her comlink. "But I can't leave any injured 'bot behind, Decepticon or no. Ratchet, do you read me?"

:I do. What's your position, Arcee?:

"I'm outside of the _Harbinger. _I need a Ground Bridge," she relayed the coordinates. "There's a casualty."

There was a pause. :Who? Optimus? Bulkhead?:

"Starscream," the words were like bile out of her mouth.

:...I'll send a Ground Bridge. It should be there soon.:

"I meant it," Starscream murmured.

"What?" she looked down at him.

"I meant all that I said. I'm sorry for Cliffjumper's death. I really did want to be an Autobot. Not that you'd have me."

"You still can be," she assured him. "Optimus isn't one to refuse an honest offer."

"No, I won't," he shook his head. "I was a scientist and a doctor for a short time. I know a fatal wound when I see one." He met her optics. "Tailgate and Cliffjumper were lucky with you. You have the prettiest blue optics. And a fiery spark to match. Too bad the revenge had to corrupt it." He leaned back. "Heh, and there they are, waiting for me. It's been a long time since I've seen Skywarp and Thundercracker, my trine-mates. They died back on Cybertron, you know? And I felt all their pain, as they no doubt felt mine."

He looked at her one last time. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Arcee looked up. Where was the Ground Bridge? "You'll get help."

"I have been a fool. Made mistakes. Monumental ones," he reminded her. "But I know my place in the universe now. I know who I am. I'm Starscream. Not an Autobot, not a Decepticon. A Cybertronian. A Seeker, a scientist. Servant to no one." He shuddered slightly in Arcee's arms and lay still.

"No," Arcee's optics widened. She shook him, once, twice, no results. Then she hugged his body tight to her own. "Slaggit, 'Screamer, stay with me!" Another few words she'd never thought she'd say. Yet his body was already fading to gunmetal gray, his clawed hands hanging loosely on her arm.

She let him go, squeezing her optics closed to keep the coolant from leaking out. Arcee carefully laid his body down, crossing his arms over his chest. "You weren't that bad, Starscream," she finally managed to say. "As 'Cons go, anyway. You saved my life and I'm sorry you had to die. You could've made a great Autobot." She backed away. "A great Autobot. Now we'll never know, I guess."

That was when the spiraling vortex opened. Ratchet ran in, slowing to a stop when he saw Arcee with Starscream and the others frozen.

Arcee wiped a trailing bit of coolant off her cheek and managed to make her way to Ratchet before collapsing. "Hey Ratchet," her voice was little more than a whisper. "Welcome to the party."

~.~.~.~.~.

Once the other Autobots had been brought back, Ratchet worked on repairing the Immobilizer, and soon the other three were up and moving. And their attention turned to Starscream.

"He's really dead?" Bulkhead asked. "Good. About time he finally kicked the bucket."

"I want to have a funeral," Arcee's voice was tense.

Bumblebee started to beep something but Arcee cut him off.

"Slaggit, Prime, he saved my life! He saved all our lives. If he hadn't taken the shot, then Airachnid would've killed me, and then all of you. It's the least we can do for him."

There was silence. "Starscream did indeed do a great deed for all of us today," Optimus spoke at last. "We can honor him, one last time."

"Never thought we'd be doing this," Bulkhead muttered. They'd taken Starscream's body to the top, where he had been buried under collected rocks, next to Cliffjumper. "What, are we supposed to give a eulogy or something?"

There was a silent consensus that no one wanted to really do so. Everyone but Arcee left the top, leaving her to stare. And think.

"Why?" she asked aloud. "Why save me? What was to gain from it? You've always got some ulterior motive, some reason for your logic. And it all helps only you. Self-preservation was your only goal in life...wasn't it? So why save me?" She eyed the grave steadily, repeating, "Why?" Then she stood to go, hugging herself and trying to force down the feelings of sorrow, of actual care for the dead Decepticon murderer.

It was probably her imagination, or something from the base below, but before she went in, she could've sworn she heard a voice whisper, "_Why not?_"

**((Yup, 'Scream's dead. Personally, behind Soundwave, Starscream is my favorite Prime Decepticon. I almost cried writing this.))**


End file.
